CBS News edited a video clip and transcript to remove former President Bill Clinton‘s comment during an interview that Hillary Clinton, now the Democratic presidential nominee, “frequently” fainted in the past.
Bill Clinton sat down with CBS’s Charlie Rose on Monday to try to clear the air around questions regarding his wife’s health after she collapsed while getting into a van at a 9/11 memorial ceremony on Sunday.
“Well, if it is, then it’s a mystery to me and all of her doctors,” Bill Clinton said when Mr. Rose asked him if Hillary Clinton was simply dehydrated or if the situation was more serious.
“Frequently — well, not frequently, rarely, on more than one occasion, over the last many, many years, the same sort of thing’s happened to her when she got severely dehydrated, and she’s worked like a demon, as you know, as secretary of State, as a senator and in the year since.”
But the “CBS Evening News” version cut Mr. Clinton’s use of “frequently” out. And a review by The Hill of the official transcript released by the network shows that Mr. Clinton saying “Frequently — well, not frequently,” is omitted as well.
Chuck Ross of The Daily Caller first discovered the edit of the television version.
Oddly, unlike the “CBS Evening News” version, Mr. Clinton’s use of “frequently” can be heard on a version played on “CBS This Morning.”
Time constraints unlikely played a role, since it takes less than three seconds for Mr. Clinton to say “frequently — well, not frequently.”
The Hill has reached out to CBS News for comment.
Watch the edited video clip above and read the edited transcript below:
Below is the excerpt that aired last night on “CBS EVENING NEWS” WITH SCOTT PELLEY:
BILL CLINTON: She’s doing fine. She was even better last night before she went to sleep. She had a good night’s sleep. She just got dehydrated yesterday.
CHARLIE ROSE: Is that what happened? She just got dehydrated. Because when you look at that collapse, that video that was taken, you wonder if it’s not more serious than dehydration.
BILL CLINTON: Well, if it is then it’s a mystery to me and all of her doctors. Rarely, on more than one occasion, over the last many, many years, the same sort of thing’s happened to her when she got severely dehydrated, and she’s worked like a demon, as you know, as secretary of State, as a senator and in the year since.
CHARLIE ROSE: But, more importantly, she’s on a grueling campaign. And you know what that’s like, and she’s older than you when you ran.
BILL CLINTON: And she had two and a half hard days before the day when she got dizzy. Today she made a decision, which I think was correct, to cancel her campaign day to take one more day to rest.
CHARLIE ROSE: Is it possible she’ll be away for weeks from the campaign trail?
BILL CLINTON: No, not a shot. I’ll be lucky to hold her back another day.
This story originated at www.thehill.com
